The Sarah Spencer
by DaveTrain
Summary: During her first mission after Nero's incursion, the USS Enterprise encounters an alien enemy, and Sulu gets his first command. Ensemble featuring Sulu, Gaila, Kyle, Scotty, and Kirk. Rated T for some language.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Trek.

Rating: T for language and suggestive material in later chapters.

"_Captain's log, Stardate 2258.109. The Enterprise is nearly two weeks out from Spacedock. Our first mission; to escort three cargo freighters to Veridian III. The ships are loaded with construction and medical supplies destined for the new Vulcan colony in that system. _

_The Enterprise has performed incredibly after her two months in drydock, and I can only credit Mr. Scott with the state of the ship, and the outstanding work he and his engineering team put in after the beating she took escaping from the black hole that consumed Nero…"_

Jim Kirk swung around in his chair, letting the bustle of activity on the bridge of the _Enterprise_ flow around him. He wouldn't have it any other way. Finally, after nearly two months stuck in Spacedock while the warp core was replaced, the space frame was strengthened, and replacement crew came aboard, his ship was underway.

_His_ ship. He liked the sound of that.

Swinging back toward the main window, Kirk addressed the young man at the navigation console. "Estimated time to arrival at Veridian III colony, Mr. Chekov?"

"Five standard days at present course and speed, Keptin," his navigator beamed.

Kirk nodded and glanced back at his first officer. "Mr. Spock. Sensor report if you please."

The Vulcan seated at the science console didn't bat an eye at the oddly formal phrasing the Captain had taken to using during quiet moments on the bridge. To his left, the dark-skinned communications officer rolled her eyes and went back to scanning the subspace frequencies. Since the christening two weeks ago, Kirk had been unusually jolly in his command style.

"Now approaching the Iota Virginis star system, Captain. A Class G Star orbited by six planets, two of which are gas giants. First surveyed in 2220 by the _USS Aurora._ Fairly unremarkable, except for a an asteroid field with an unusually high concentration of water ice among the orbiting bodies."

Jim worked to suppress a chuckle. "Thank you, Mr. Spock. You're very…thorough."

An eyebrow shot up in response. "Thorough reports on sensor finding is logically expected from a science officer."

Before Jim could respond, the auxiliary sensor officer, a petite blonde woman, piped up, "Sir, the warp velocity of the_ S.S. Sarah Spence _is decreasing. She's falling behind."

Kirk's brow furrowed and suddenly he was all business, the playfulness of the moment gone as he turned to the helm.

"Mr. Sulu, decrease our warp velocity to match the _Sarah Spencer._"

"Aye sir. Dropping to warp 2.4."

Kirk turned once again toward the rear of the bridge, this time addressing his communications officer. "Lieutenant Uhura, instruct the other two freighters to match our velocity and hail the _Sarah Spencer. _Ask them why they've dropped out of formation."

"Aye sir. Hailing frequencies open."

A sudden insistent beeping sounded from Spock's console. Examining his instruments, Spock's voice grew just a little tighter. Which, for a Vulcan, was practically an alarmed scream.

"Captain. There is a radiological alarm on the _Sarah Spencer._"

* * *

Lieutenant Commander Scott was something of a genius when it came to engineering and transporter theory. Lieutenant John Kyle had been at his side when he beamed Kirk, Pike, and Spock back from the Romulan ship. Three people from two locations onto one pad. Bloody brilliant feat that had been. He'd also been there when Scott had unveiled his equation for transwarp beaming after the _Enterprise_ had made her return to Earth. The mathematics had almost been like looking at poetry.

So the junior lieutenant tried not to take it too personally that the chief engineer spent so much time in the transporter room, checking on the ship's transporter officer and constantly tinkering with the machine. There was no doubt that the transporter was up a few percentiles in performance, even if it tended to run a little hot now and then. No, the problem was that Kyle had the nagging feeling that Scotty considered the transporter room _his_, and viewed Kyle as a guest instead of a valued junior officer.

He was there now, sitting in the operator's chair Kyle had vacated, idly chatting while punching up diagnostics on the screen while Kyle took a place at the assistant's station.

"Oh aye. So I says to Keenser, 'Dinnae yer mother ever pull ye down when ye started that climbin' as a child?' An' he don't say anythin', as usual. But what can ye expect, eh?"

Kyle studiously studied his instruments. "Right you are, Commander."

Scotty slapped a hand down on the console, swiveling in his seat with a teasing grin. "Ach. But what would a Brit know, right son?"

"I'm Australian, sir."

The senior engineer cocked his head, his expression bemused. "Really? Ye don' say. A fellow rebel." He turned back to his diagnostic, muttering to himself, "Fancy that. I'da never've guessed..."

Kyle was in the middle of turning to Scotty to reply when klaxons blared overhead and the Captain's voice came on the ship's speakers.

"Yellow Alert. General Quarters. All hands to action stations. Ship in distress."


	2. Act I

_"Captain's Log, supplemental. We've dropped out of warp in the Iota Virginis system following a radiation surge aboard the _S.S. Sarah Spencer. _Her crew has been beamed out of danger, and Doctor McCoy assures me that they'll recover after a few days of anti-radiation treatments. According to the freighter's captain, a faulty baffle plate in his ship's engine room ruptured, unbalancing the warp field and filling the lower compartments with deadly delta radiation. For now we have the _Sarah Spencer _locked in our tractor beam while we orbit the system's third planet, and I'm awaiting Lieutenant Commander Scott's report on the situation..."_

Kirk stood on the bridge looking over Scotty's shoulder as he examined the data Spock was feeding him from the sensor console. The engineer gave a low whistle, and Kirk leaned forward to get a better look at the scans.

"What's the prognosis, Scotty?"

"We're damn lucky, Captain. If the crew of the _Spencer _hadn't of sealed those lower compartments and shut down the warp drive when they did, we'd be looking at a warp core breach. We'd a lost the ship, not te mention the damage done ta the rest o' the convoy in tha explosion."

Spock came up behind the two, hands folded behind his back. "The cargo consists mostly of construction materials for the new Vulcan colony. Scans indicate that the delta radiation did not penetrate the cargo modules."

Kirk nodded. "We have room in our cargo bay. If we move some of the equipment stored there we can beam aboard most of the cargo and get going. Send a salvage team for the_ Sarah Spencer._

Scotty waggled his head. Pointing to the monitor, he indicated the diagram of the freighter's engine room. "Oh I dunno about that, Captain. With that much radiation floating around, the transport patterns'll probably degrade 40 percent by the time it gets over here.

Kirk straightened up, a grim look on his face. "Can we salvage her?"

Scotty spun his chair around and looked at Kirk with a roguish grin. "Oh aye, sir. Why didn't ye mention it before? Give me about a day over there with a coupla me people, we'll have her fixed right away."

Kirk smiled. Things were coming together. "Get to it, Mr. Scott. Assemble a damage control team and have them over there inside the hour."

Scotty nodded gleefully and headed for the turbolift. "Aye, sir. Lickety split."

As he walked he called over to the helm station. "Mr Sulu! We'll be needing someone to correct her orbit once we have helm control. Fancy joining us?"

Sulu turned around with a start, then did a quick jog to join up with Scott at the turbolift, a broad grin splitting his face. "Aye, sir!"

Scotty subtly rolled his eyes, "Easy there, lad." Grabbing hold of the turbolift handle, he waited for Sulu and then barked, "Deck 15!"

Spock stepped to Kirk's right as he sat again in the Captain's chair. He gazed out on the _Sarah Spencer _with Kirk, the smaller vessel listing in the grip of the tractor beam. After a moment, he inclined his head toward the Captain.

"May I remind you, Captain, that the other two freighters are carrying perishable medicines and other supplies for the colony on Veridian III. I suggest we send them ahead to avoid further delays in the delivery of the cargo."

Kirk nodded, but kept his gaze on the freighter. After a moment he shifted in the command chair, crossing one leg over the other.

"Of course, Spock." He spun slightly toward the communication station, "Uhura. Contact the _Huron_ and the _Millenium Queen. _Tell them to continue on course at Warp 4. We'll catch up with them once we're done here."

"Aye, sir."

* * *

Praxus, the scope operator, looked up from his instruments toward the Commander.

"Two of the Earth vessels are moving off," he reported, "The cruiser and the other freighter are still in orbit around the third planet."

Charvanek leaned forward in her command chair aboard the _Memenda_ as Praxus peered once more into the sensor scopes. Rising, she joined her junior officer at the station.

"Have they detected us yet?"

Praxus replied without looking up from the data feeds. "Negative, Commander. The ice in the asteroid field is reflecting any sensor sweeps away from us."

Charvanek looked into another of the scope's viewers, considering the happenstance that brought her ship here.

It had two months since both the destruction of the planet Vulcan and the ship known as the _Narada._ And here they stumbled upon the very starship responsible for such a large role in those events on her first mission outside Romulan space.

Her gaze hardened as she considered the starship. Whatever else the _Narada_ and her commander had been, all reports indicated that they were indisputedley _Romulan._ And the_ Enterprise _and her commander could not go unpunished for the destruction he had wreaked. A plan formed in her mind as she straightened from the viewing scope.

"Encode a message to the_ Korvix,_" she instructed one of her junior officers, "Tell them to cross the Neutral Zone and approach the system from the far side."

A tight smile slowly spreading on her face, she began to relate instructions to her crew.

* * *

Ensign Gaila was struggling to juggle three tricorders, two engineering kits, and a pair of environmental protective suits vacuum-packed into slim plastic containers as she hurriedly followed Mr. Scott toward the transporter room. The senior engineer was rambling on as he checked off a list on a padd he was carrying.

"...probably have to replace the primary buffer panels. Radiation'll have 'em totally fried. Course the merchant marine galoots probably won't have checked the calipers in a dog's age. Machine shop's loaded with keech, mark me words..."

Gaila didn't understand half the phrases Scotty used most of the time, but she was eager to be selected for a landing party. Her face flushed a darker shade of green with excitement as she tripped after him, ready to prove what an asset she could be to the engineering department.

She couldn't help but stare at Scotty while he walked on, lost in his world of power couplings and warp field dynamics. There was just something so sexy about an engineering genius...

"...ah but we'll have her up and purring again in no time, ye ken lass?"

"Aye sir!" she said, nearly dropping one of the tricorders in her excitement.

* * *

"The _Korvix_ is three hours away, Commander." Praxus said.

"Excellent," Charvanek replied, leaning back in her command chair and lacing her long fingers together. "Send another tightbeam transmission with my latest instructions to Subcommander Vokar."

"Yes, Commander."

The Centurion at her side turned to Carvanek.

"You intend to give Vokar the chance he's been waiting for? To engage a Federation cruiser?"

Charvanek steepled her fingers. "He'll get the battle he wants while we gather information about the Earth ships. All is for the Empire."

"Yes, Commander."

* * *

Lieutenant Kyle was adjusting the transporter to compensate for the delta radiation emanating from the _Sarah Spencer_ with Ensign Chekov when Scotty and Gaila entered the transporter room. The chief engineer was excitedly about the mission while the Orion Ensign constantly shifted her grip on the slipping bundle of equipment she carried.

As if noticing her plight for the first time, Scott did a double take and quickly relieved her of two of the tricorders and a protection suit. A moment later, Lieutenant Sulu came through the doors with a big grin. Scotty turned to the younger officer.

"All set, Mr. Sulu?"

"Aye, sir."

"Right," he turned to Kyle, "Has the transporter been compensated?"

Kyle nodded. "Yessir. Should be able to get you to the bridge of the _Sarah Spencer_ with no trouble."

Scott grinned. "Excellent. Fine work, Mr. Kyle."

Scotty turned back to Gaila and retrieved another tricorder. Stepping onto the transporter pad, he profferred it to Kyle. "Well then, on yous go."

Kyle straightened up. "Me sir?"

Scott nodded again, still wearing the excited grin." Aye. Ye're a certified pilot aren't ye?"

"Um...yes, sir...I-"

"Ex-cel-lent! Mr. Sulu will need some help getting the ship righted after we restore main power," He shook the tricorder again in Kyle's direction. "Come on then, Lieutenant. I cannae wait forever."

"Yes, sir!" Kyle said, beaming. He took the tricorder from Scott and stepped onto the transporter pad next to Gaila and Sulu. It looked like Scotty was giving him some faith after all.

Once they were all assembled, Scotty nodded to Chekov, seated at the transporter controls.

"Energize, Mr. Chekov."


	3. Act II

Rating: M for language and T for Gaila ogling.

* * *

"Ah damn! Ya fuckin' bawbag! Dinnae anyone service this massive fuckin' shiter in tha last ten years?"

Sulu tried not to wince at the sound coming from the _Sarah Spencer's _lower decks. Loud crashes and bangs accompanied the curses and oaths of the _Enterprise's _chief engineer. The sounds echoed all the way up to the bridge, where they were quite audible to the person on the other end of the communication line.

To his relief, Scott's profanity actually elicited a smile from Captain Kirk. "You were saying, Mr. Sulu?"

Sulu swiveled back to face the viewscreen. "Uh...yessir. Mr. Scott has the baffle plate repaired and rad levels have fallen back to normal. He and Gaila are...inspecting...the damage to the warp core now."

_CLANG. _

"Ya hun bastart!"

The smile on Kirk's face got even broader. "Right, Sulu. Give Mr. Scott my compliments, and contact the ship when you're ready to restore main power. Enterprise out."

"Yes, sir." Sulu cut the transmission and leaned back in his chair.

The cramped bridge of the _Sarah Spencer_ wasn't much to look at. Dimly lit, with an engineering console in aft, and a pilot's station just ahead of the command chair. But they'd been cruising in space for almost two weeks now, and it felt good to get off the _Enterprise _and stretch his legs for a bit. Outside the main window, Iota Virginis III rotated slowly. It was a large orange gas giant with swirling blue storms here and there. Sulu watched it while he stroked his hands along the arms of the command chair.

He was startled out of his reverie by Lieutenant Kyle striding onto the bridge and taking a seat at the helm console. He smiled at the other officer.

"Trouble down there?"

Kyle shook his head. "Honestly? I don't think he could be happier."

* * *

One deck below, in the _Sarah Spencer's _engine room, Scotty could not have been more miserable with the state of the ship. He loved a good engineering problem to solve, but seeing a ship treated this way broke his heart. He was stripped off the radiation protection suit he'd donned earlier and surveyed the mass of warnings and error alerts on the reaction assembly readout.

"C'mon ye stubborn old cow," he muttered.

"Commander, I think I've found the crack in the injector coils."

Scott tried not to stare as Gaila wiggled out from the hatch underneath the deuterium injectors. No doubt she was one of the sharper technicians on the ship, but she could be distracting sometimes. Christ, even in the bulky protection suit her generous curves were all too evident. He turned back to the console to keep his mind from unwholesome thoughts.

"Aye. Nae wonder with tha way this vessel's been maintained."

"Seems Captain Lochen isn't much for maintenance."

"Hope his wife shites a hedgehog," Scotty muttered, punching a few more buttons on the console. Negative messages scrolled across the screen, and he kicked the engine once more in annoyance, "Damn irresponsible way to treat a starship."

He turned back to Gaila, and his eyes widened when he saw her stripping off her protection suit as well. Thank the Lord she had her back to him and didn't see him gaping with his mouth open. He gulped, and once bent to retrieve his tools. He crossed over to the other side of the warp core...walking a bit stiffly.

"Get Kyle back down here, would you lass? We'll need his help to get main power back up."

She beamed at him. "Right away, Commander."

She trotted down the corridor to the access stairwell, and Scotty watched her go. Shaking his head to clear it, he got back to work, muttering to himself with a smile."

"Well, she's certainly better comp'ny than Keenser and a wee tribble."

* * *

"What is the position of the _Korvix_, Centurion?"

Praxus replied without looking up from the scope, "She is nearing the edge of the system, Commander."

"And the Earth ships?"

"They still orbit the third planet. Radiation emanating from the freighter was previously affecting our scans, but it has dissipated now."

Charvanek crossed the dim bridge and peered into the sensor scope herself. "Life signs on the freighter?"

A few beeps and clicks as the Centurion entered commands into the console. "Three human and one indeterminate, Commander."

She crossed back to her command chair and leaned back. The freighter would make a fine target. She entered a few commands into the armrest of her seat.

"Make certain all boarding parties are prepared.

* * *

"Bridge to Captain Kirk. _Sarah Spencer_ reports restoration of main power. Preparing to disengage tractor beam."

"Understood, Uhura. Carry on." Kirk clicked the intraship communication panel off and turned back to his first officer.

"I just don't think it's that much of a problem, Spock."

Sickbay was relatively empty but for the four crewmembers from the _Sarah Spencer _and a phaser technician with a mild plasma burn. Kirk had come down to check on Captain Lochen, and Spock had followed. Now the two were just outside McCoy's office, while the Doctor checked on the patients.

"Captain, there have been several reports of inconsistencies in your reports. In addition, Starfleet Command has sent several subspace messages concerning paperwork being filed late. Under the circumstances, the situation seems to be more important than you appear to believe."

Kirk sighed and leaned up against the wall. "So I'm a little behind on my filing. Commanding a starship is a time-consuming job. I can't exactly spend all my time crossing all the 't's and dotting all the 'i's.

Spock cocked his head. "Since all report information is entered electronically, proper penmanship shouldn't be a problem. However, if you're inferring that you simply don't have time to devote to your bookkeeping, I suggest the personnel officer assign you a yeoman."

"What? No. Spock I...I don't need a yeoman babysitting me."

"Captain's getting a yeoman?" asked McCoy, striding over to join the two. Kirk rolled his eyes.

"No, Bones. Spock was just-"

McCoy held up a hand. "Say no more, Captain. I got just the candidate for you. Sweet little girl named Tonia Barrows. Works down in the Communications department. A knockout."

The Doctor's comment was greeted with a raise eyebrow from the Vulcan. "Doctor, are you implying that physical attractiveness is the deciding factor in the Captain's selection of a yeoman?"

"Oh no, Mr. Spock. No more than in the selection of a communications officer for the Enterprise."

Any response Spock might've had for the grinning Doctor was cut off by alert klaxons sounding through the ship. A moment later, Uhura's voice echoed over the speakers.

"Red Alert. General quarters all hands. Captain Kirk to the bridge."

Kirk slapped Spock on the shoulder. "Saved by the bell. C'mon, let's go."

* * *

The bridge was charged with activity when Kirk and Spock got there. Spock sat down at the science station while Kirk headed for the command chair.

"Report."

Chekov spun in his seat to face the Captain. "Ship on the edge of the system, Keptin. Configuration werified as Romulan bird-of-prey."

* * *

Sulu and Kyle were just finishing the course corrections when the message about the Romulan came through from the _Enterprise. _

"Shit shit shit," Sulu said, searching the command console, "Where are the controls to signal an alert on this ship?"

Kyle stood up from the helm station and faced aft, cupping his hands to his mouth.

"Commander Scott! We have company!"

* * *

"Put the Romulan ship on the main viewer." Kirk ordered.

A holographic image overlapped the bridge's main window, showing a saucer like ship with a flaring tail and two nacelles sticking out from the main body. On the hull, a massive flying bird was painted in hot oranges and reds. From the sensor station, Ensign Slater piped up.

"Her trajectory suggests an intercept course. Weapons are charged and shields are up."

Kirk turned to Uhura. "Make challenge. Warn her off."

"Aye sir." She entered a few commands, then cocked her head to listen. "Sir. Message from the Romulan Ship. Audio only."

"On speakers."

A hissing static filled the bridge, followed by a harsh male voice. "...boarded. Attention Earth ships. You have violated the sovereignty of the Romulan Empire. Lower your shields and prepare to be boarded. Attention..."

Kirk make a jerking motion with his hand and Uhura cut the transmission. He spun around to the helm, with a young tactical in command gold specialist filling in for Sulu. What was her name? Masters?

"Mr. Chekov, plot an intercept course and execute. Order all weapons charged and ready," he turned back to Uhura. "Hail the _Sarah Spencer. _What's her condition?"

After a moment, Scotty's image overlapped one corner of the viewscreen. "We have impulse power and minimal shields, Captain, but we'll just slow you down in a fight, sir."

"Understood, Mr. Scott. We're moving to intercept the Romulans. Make sure nothing happens to that freighter. Find a safe harbor until we have a better handle on the situation."

"Aye, sir."

Scott's image winked out, and the stars in front of the _Enterprise_ spun as Chekov and Masters brought her about.

* * *

The Enterprise gracefully looped around and her lines blurred as she entered warp. The blocky cargo freighter _Sarah Spencer _sped away in the opposite direction as fast as her impulse engines could carry her.

Neither ship noticed the vessel slowly rising from its hiding place in the system's ice belt. Disruptor banks started to glow with power as the ship charged with weapons. It tilted on its axis to intercept the freighter, starlight glinting on the fierce hunting bird painted on its belly.


	4. Act III

Rating: T for language.

* * *

"Uhura, open a channel and broadcast to the Romulan ship." Kirk ordered.

"Channel open."

Kirk leaned back in the command chair. "This is Captain James T. Kirk of the Federation starship _Enterprise_ to Romulan commander. You are in violation of the Neutral Zone Treaty. Power down and return to Romulan space or we will open fire."

Silence was his only answer. He turned to Uhura, but the communications officer just shrugged.

"No reply sir."

Kirk swiveled around to the science station. "Spock?"

Spock was staring intently into the sensor scope. "Their weapons remain fully charged and their shields are up. They definitely mean to engage us."

"Thoughts."

"It is unusual for a lone ship to be aggressive while outside their own territory." He considered for a moment. "It is possible the Romulan Star Empire wishes to test the defenses and capabilities of the Federation in the wake of Nero's incursion. Starfleet has been hampered by the losses at the Battle of Vulcan."

Kirk blew out a long breath and turned back to the main viewer. "ETA?"

"We'll intercept the Romulans in open space in four minutes and thirty-eight seconds, Captain." Spock replied without consulting his instruments.

Kirk switched on the intraship intercom.

"This is the Captain. All hands prepare for battle.

* * *

"How're we doing, lad?"

Sulu rose from the command chair as Scotty and Gaila entered the _Sarah Spencer's _bridge.

"We're heading away at full impulse. Just about to pass the ice belt Mr. Scott."

"Very good, Sulu." He turned toward the helm, "Keep us on this course, Mr. Kyle. I don' fancy a rammy with the Romulans in this bucket."

"Right, sir."

Ahead of them, the system's ice belt stretched out, a massive accumulation of microscopic water crystals and ice asteroids orbiting the Iota Virginis star. Scotty let out a low whistle.

At the engineering station behind the command chair, Gaila was frowning at a readout. "Um...Mr. Scott. I'm picking up a strange reading out there."

Scotty and Sulu crossed back to the Orion Ensign as she traced the sensor screen with her finger. "See there? It looks like an object is matching our course and speed."

Sulu frowned. "What kind of an object?"

"I can't tell. Sensor readings are bouncing all over the place because of the ice."

Scotty cracked his fingers and stepped up to the console. "Let me have a go of it, Ensign.

On the freighter's small sensor screen, the image flickered and started to correct itself.

"See tha trick is to modify the passive scanning waves into tight beams so won't pick up any sensor ghosts or reflections. Almost...there! Now let's see what we got."

Scotty punched a button, and an image showed up on the _Sarah Spencer's _viewscreen. An image of a warship with a bright hunting bird painted on the hull. Scotty's eyes turned into wide saucers.

"Bugger!"

Sulu ran forward toward the helm. "Kyle! Evasive! Raise shields!"

Before he got the whole sentence out, the disruptor ports along the hull of the Romulan ship lit up and bolts of green energy lanced toward the defenseless freighter. Sulu's world lurched crazily to one side and he lost his footing. He felt his teeth chatter together as his chin collided with a bulkhead, and then he was flat on the deck.

"Romulan wessel dead ahead, Keptin."

* * *

"Thank you, Mr. Chekov. Straight at 'em, Masters."

Masters nodded as she aligned the _Enterprise._ "Straight at 'em. Aye, sir."

"Kirk to torpedo room. Salvo fire on my mark. Phaser control, target photon impacts to weaken their shields."

A chorus of 'aye, sirs' echoed on the comm. Kirk braced himself in his chair. "Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough," he muttered.

Spock cocked his head. "I beg your pardon, Captain?"

"Open space, Spock. It's gonna be a slugging match."

Spock raised an eyebrow then turned back to his station.

"Enemy wessel entering weapons range, Keptin!"

"Fire."

* * *

Sulu's jaw hurt, and the damn ship just wouldn't stop spinning around him. Dimly, he thought he heard blaring klaxons and someone shouting.

"Sulu!"

Christ, why were they being so loud?

"Sulu!"

Hmm. Smoke was starting to fill up the bridge. That didn't seem quite right.

"Sulu!"

A green face framed by disheveled red curls swam into his vision and the present came rushing back to Sulu all to fast.

_Oh shit!_

Gaila grabbed Sulu by the shoulders and started to jostle him back and forth. "Sulu get up! I can't wake up Scotty. What do we do?"

It dawned suddenly on Sulu that with Scotty unconscious, he was the senior officer. He clawed his way to his feet, leaning on the _Sarah Spencer's _command chair for support. "Report," he managed to croak out.

Kyle was still at the helm console, although an ugly bruise was starting to darken his cheek. "Shields are gone. Main power at 32 percent."

"Gaila, where are the Romulans?"

Aft of the command chair, Gaila was kneeling beside Scotty, who was lying on the floor, blood flowing freely from a large gash in his forehead. She looked up at Sulu blankly for a moment, then quickly stumbled to the engineering console and the flickering sensor screens.

"They're 11,000 kilometers astern and closing."

_Closing for a transporter lock. Shit. _Sulu wracked his mind, desperately trying to think of anything to get them out of this mess. His gaze fell on the freighter's main viewport.

Ahead of them, the ice belt glittered in the light from the Iota Virginis star.

* * *

"We're coming into transporter range now, Commander."

"Excellent. Prepare to beam over boarding parties."

Charvanek leaned forward, watching her crew go about their tasks. To her left, a nervous sublieutenant approached and saluted. She looked at the junior officer expectantly.

"Commander," he started, "The _Korvix _has engaged the Earth cruiser, but reports that she is outgunned and outmaneuvered. Her commander requests instructions."

Charvanek regarded the sublieutenant coolly. "Transmit that under no circumstances is he to allow his vessel or crew to be captured."

She returned his hasty salute with a nod, and turned back to her bridge. Anger started to boil up. A whole ship lost. No matter. She was sure they had inflicted sufficient damage to keep the cruiser occupied. And the crew and computer banks onboard the freighter she was about to capture would more than make up for its loss with valuable information about the Federation.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a startled report from Praxus.

"Commander! The Earth freighter is pulling away from us."

Charvanek angrily rose and headed for the sensor scope. "Fire on them! Disable the engines."

* * *

The _Sarah Spencer_ shuddered as Sulu fed all the power he had to her overtaxed impulse engines. Ahead of the viewport, the stars winked out as the battered freighter came closer and closer to the ice belt. Crystallized water vapor served to make all of space appear a tranquil blue. Any other time, it would be a beautiful sight.

Kyle had gone aft to man the engineering station with Gaila. "Thirty seconds to ice belt. Bird-of-prey closing within weapons range again."

Sulu weaved the ship from side to side even as he fed more of the auxiliary power to impulse. Green disruptor bolts flashed by the viewport now. The bulkheads rattled as one found its mark.

An alarm sounded from the engineering station. "One more hit and we're dead in the water!" Gaila shouted.

"Almost there," Sulu hissed through gritted teeth.

* * *

"Damage report!" Kirk bellowed.

"Shields holding steady at 20 percent. Fire reported on Deck 13, aft section. Engineer DeSalle reports warp drive has been knocked offline." Spock relayed calmly.

"Keep firing, all batteries!"

Spock spun around suddenly to face Kirk. "Captain. I'm reading a massive energy buildup on the Romulan ship. I believe they're preparing to self-destruct."

"All astern, full impulse power, Ensign Masters."

"Aye sir."

The bird-of-prey shrank steadily in front of the _Enterprise_ as Masters backed off. Suddenly, a blinding light lit the bridge as the Romulan ship tore itself apart. Moments later, the bulkheads on the _Enterprise _rattled and groaned as the shockwave from the explosion hit. The bridge was silent for several long moments, and then Spock turned to Kirk.

"It appears, Captain, that they were not 'hard enough.'"

* * *

"We're in!" Kyle shouted. "Main power stabilized at 25 percent. Sensors are dead this deep in the belt though."

A chunk the size of the _Enterprise suddenly appeared in the gloom as the freighter neared it. Sulu barely dove in time to avoid striking it._

_"Slowing to dead stop. Shut down all non-essential systems," he ordered._

* * *

_Charvanek glared at Praxus coldly._

_"Define 'vanished.'"_


	5. Act IV

Rating: Slight T for action adventure and Kyle ogling

* * *

"What do you mean, they aren't responding?"

Uhura frowned down at her communication console, scanning through frequencies. "No contact with the _Sarah Spencer,_ Captain. No response to hails. I'm not even picking up the IFF transponder."

Kirk rose from his command chair and crossed over to her.

"They can't have just disappeared. Spock, are you picking up any sign of them?"

"Negative, Captain. No sign of the _Sarah Spencer_ on their last known trajectory. No wreckage and no escape pods either. It is as Lieutenant Uhura reported."

"Is there anyway to track them from their last heading?"

Spock rose to face Kirk. "Perhaps if the _Enterprise_ were closer I could scan for residual energy signatures."

"All right then," Kirk crossed to his command chair and toggled the intraship communication. "Captain to Engineering."

"DeSalle here, sir."

"What's the status of the warp engines, Mr. DeSalle?"

"The port nacelle took a pretty bad hit in the battle sir," DeSalle replied after a moment. "We won't have warp drive for quite a bit sir."

"How long, DeSalle?"

"Uh...maybe twelve or thirteen hours, sir. We'll know better after we get a better look at the portside warp coils."

Kirk found himself fervently wishing for Scotty. He hadn't realized how much he'd come to depend on his chief engineer in the last month or so.

"Understood, Mr. DeSalle. Assign all damage control teams to getting warp drive back. I want warp drive back yesterday."

"Yes, sir."

Kirk sat down in the command chair and turned toward the helm. "Chekov, set a course for the _Sarah Spencer's_ last known position. Helm engage at full impulse power."

"Aye, Keptin."

As the ship sprang into motion, Spock approached the Captain's chair, standing with his hands behind his back.

"Captain, even at full impulse power it will take us ten hours to reach our destination."

Kirk nodded. "I know, Spock."

* * *

Kyle leaned with his arms crossed against the bulkhead outside the captain's quarters, watching Gaila tend to Mr. Scott. None of them had any real medical training, but Gaila had gone through the emergency aid course at the Academy most recently. That made her the closest thing they had to a medic.

His face ached where he'd slammed his head off the control panel, and the ugly bruise had grown into an impressive shiner under his right eye. He reached up gingerly to rub it while turning to Sulu. The other man was staring into space, lost in thought.

"So definitely Romulans, eh?"

Sulu nodded, not saying anything.

"Think the _Enterprise_ is okay?"

There was a long silence before Sulu spoke.

"She's bigger and heavier than a bird-of-prey. More guns. Stronger shields. She's more than able to take one out."

"What about two? That other ship could have headed straight for her after we ducked in here."

Sulu shrugged. "No way to know."

Gaila came out to join them at that moment.

"He's resting now. Definitely has some kind of head trauma. There was some alkysine in the emergency medkit. I gave him a shot of it. Should keep him stable for a few hours."

"And then?" Sulu asked.

Gaila spread her hands in a helpless gesture. "I'm an engineer, not a brain surgeon."

"Okay," Sulu said. "Our best bet is to repair the damage we took in the attack and find the _Enterprise, _wherever she is."

"Fix the ship?" Gaila said, disbelievingly. "Have you seen the state of the engines? We can't even get full impulse in the state we're in."

"Not to mention the Romulan warship that's still out there." Kyle muttered.

"We don't have a choice. Scotty needs Dr. McCoy and we're sitting ducks if the Romulans find us." Sulu turned to Gaila. "Can you do it?"

Gaila stood for a moment, dumbfounded, then sighed.

"With two big strapping men like you helping?" She managed a weak smile. "Piece of cake."

Sulu nodded.

"Let's hope so."

* * *

Charvanek sat brooding in her command chair, watching her crew scurry around the shadowed bridge. Most of them were nervously avoiding her gaze, focusing on their tasks.

"Report." She ordered.

"We still haven't gotten a fix on their location, Commander." Praxus reported.

"It's been nearly three hours," Charvanek hissed, "And you can't find a single, damaged Earth freighter?"

Her subordinate straightened from his post and stood at attention, staring straight ahead. "With respect, Commander, the same ice field that hid us from the scans of the Earth cruiser now hide the freighter. We've isolated a general area to search, but all the data we collect is filled with echoes and sensor ghosts."

Charvanek regarded him for a moment, eyes narrowing. Then she stood and addressed the tactical officer.

"Modify our torpedoes for proximity blasts," she turned back to Praxus. "Take us into the ice belt."

* * *

By the Goddess, it was _hot._

The environmental controls on the _Sarah Spencer's _engineering deck were trashed, crushed by a section of wrecked bulkhead. Add into that the air circulation system working at less then optimal capacity, and engineering had become sweltering.

Gaila's red curls were plastered to her forehead and sweat was rolling down her face as she lay on her back under the freighter's warp core. She'd stripped down to her uniform undershirt, and swapped her skirt for the radiation protection suit, now unzipped and tied around her waist. Somewhere on the other side of the engine room, she heard a loud clang as a tool dropped to the floor, followed by Kyle cursing.

She wiped the sweat off her forehead and then reached up to finish her work. They'd been at it for nearly eight hours now. Just a few more connections and..._there!_

Above her, the warp core began to hum softly as it warmed up. Gaila held her breath for a few tense moments, praying the bypass job she'd rigged up would hold. When nothing exploded, she slumped back and smiled.

She had her eyes closed, enjoying the moment when she felt a nudge against her boot. Propping herself up on her elbows, she looked to see Sulu holding a kneeling on the deck, smiling and waggling a canister of water at her. With a sigh, she shimmied out from under the core and gratefully snatched the water from him.

After a few big gulps she smiled. "Thanks...Captain."

He smiled back. "No problem. Thought you could use it." He was still dressed in his uniform tunic, and she noticed he was already sweating in the oppressive confines of the engine room.

"How's it going on the bridge?"

Sulu sighed as he plopped down to sit next to her. "Not horrible. We only have short-range communications. But I've got the navigation array reconfigured into something I can drive at least. It's not pretty, but we have some helm control."

Kyle dropped to the deck a short distance away from the recessed cowling he'd been working in. He had stripped off his red uniform tunic as well, and Gaila noticed for the first time how well-built the man was. She decided she liked this look very much.

Kyle raked a hand through his sweaty hair and smiled.

"I think I've got it," he said. He crossed to the master systems display and punched in a few commands. "Ha! It's not pretty, but we have shields at 30 percent."

Sulu rose and dusted himself off. "You guys ready to get out of here?"

Gaila smiled and opened her mouth to answer, but was cut off by the sound of an explosion reverberating through the hull. They were all thrown to the deck as the ship was tossed around.

"What the hell was that?" Gaila shouted, "Are we hit?"

"No. But damn close," Kyle grunted from his console. "Proximity charge. Shields at 22 percent."

* * *

"The charge cleared sensor readings for a moment, Commander." Praxus reported. "The Earth freighter is somewhere ahead of us."

"Fire another. Find me that ship."

* * *

"I'm bringing power up as much as I can," Gaila said from the bridge's engineering console. "Hit it Sulu."

The _Sarah Spencer_ bucked in protest as Sulu kicked the impulse engines into gear. Taking the battered freighter deeper into the ice belt, he weaved back and forth around massive ice crystals. One passed so close he thought he could feel it scrape against the starboard hull. Uncomfortable memories of the massive debris field over Vulcan came to his mind, and he angrily pushed them aside and tried to concentrate.

"The Romulans are firing again!" Kyle shouted from the port console.

A brief plasma trail streaking through the cloud preceded a massive explosion off the port bow, and the freighter shuddered as the shockwave hit.

"Shields at 11 percent! One more and we'll break apart."

Break apart? Sulu gasped as an impossible, _insane _idea occurred to him.

"Gaila!" he shouted. "Dial the engines down to 5 percent and reroute the power to shield and thrusters."

"What! We'll be sitting ducks!"

"Do it!"

Sulu swung the _Sarah Spencer_ around on her axis, and the bulkheads groaned in protest. Somewhere in the bowels of the ship, he heard something fly apart. The Romulan ship loomed in front of them now. A missile tube on its hull lit up as another proximity charge streaked right for them.

Sulu cut all the controls to port as the charge detonated.

* * *

Praxus saw the freighter on his scope for only a moment before the charge detonated, and then there was only spinning ice crystals and a few pieces of debris floated in the ice cloud.

"Commander, I believe the freighter has been destroyed."

"Damn!" Charvanek cursed. "I wanted prisoners."

From another station, a junior officer spoke up. "Commander, a new reading. Ship approaching from beyond the ice belt. She's transmitting in the open."

Charvanek cocked her head. "On speakers."

The officer nodded and flicked a switch.

"...spond. Repeat. This is _USS Enterprise _calling_ SS Sarah Spencer. Please respond."_

_Charvanek leaned back in her command chair and smiled._


	6. Act V

"I repeat. This is _Enterprise _to _Sarah Spencer._ Please respond. Commander Scott? Lieutenant Sulu? Please respond."

Uhura kept the receiver pressed tightly to her ear, scanning tirelessly through the comm frequencies. She listened for any blip on her scans or burst of static across the channels.

"Still nothing, Captain."

Kirk said nothing. He was in his command chair, leaning forward with his chin leaning on his fist. He hadn't moved much in the last eight hours, aside from a trip to main engineering to check on Lieutenant DeSalle's status. For all that Uhura thought of Kirk as a hotheaded rebel, she had to admit he was a talented commanding officer. And dead loyal to the people who served under him.

An electronic bosun's whistle sounded over the intercom, followed by DeSalle's voice. "Engineering to bridge."

Kirk reached lightly to the side to tap the companel on his armrest. "Kirk here."

"Captain, warp engines still aren't fully repaired, but I can give you warp 3 for a few hours."

"Excellent work, Mr. DeSalle. That's more than enough for now." He slapped the companel off and turned to Helmsman McKenna. "You heard him. Warp 3."

"Aye, sir."

Chekov still sat at the navigator's station. Like his Captain, he'd refused to leave his station without knowing the whereabouts of the team on the _Sarah Spencer_. As the _Enterprise _jumped into warp, he consulted his instruments.

"New ETA to destination, three minutes, Keptin."

"Understood, Mr. Chekov. Steady as she goes."

* * *

"The Earth ship has entered warp, Commander."

"Keep us in the ice belt for now. Charge weapons and prepare boarding parties." Charvanek ordered. She turned to Praxus. "I want you to lead them, Centurion Praxus."

"Yes, Commander."

* * *

"I can't believe that worked."

Staring out the viewport at the massive hunting bird painted on the Romulan ship, Kyle found himself agreeing with Sulu.

The Lieutenant's wild maneuver had taken them out of the charge's direct proximity, and the extra power Gaila had fed to the shields turned the blast into a glancing blow. They'd lost shields and a good deal of hull plating on the starboard side, but at least they were alive.

Now the _Sarah Spencer_ was nestled up under the belly of the Romulan warship as it sat in the ice field.

"Looks like they bought it," muttered Gaila.

"Their sensors were fogged up enough to miss us getting lost in the blast, and they probably think we're destroyed if they saw the hull plating we left behind."

Kyle shook his head, still staring open-mouthed up at the Romulan vessel. "Where did you come up with that idea?"

"It was a theory that got bounced around during combat flight training at the Academy." Sulu grinned, "Never really worked in the simulations."

_That_ thought wasn't a particularly welcome one.

"So what do we do now?"

Sulu shrugged. "Wait for them to leave. Try to find the _Enterprise._"

Back at the Engineering console, Gaila was frowning and holding a comset to her ear. "Um...I think they've found us."

She flipped a switch, and Sulu turned toward her as Uhura's voice echoed over the speakers.

"...the _Enterprise_ to _Sarah Spencer_. Please respond."

"Oh shit," Kyle said from the front of the bridge.

Gaila and Sulu looked up from the console to see what Kyle saw. Overhead, the Romulan ship was moving off. They were close enough to the edge of the ice belt to see the _Enterprise_ turn gracefully, running parallel to the belt.

"Their shields are down," Gaila reported, "And they can't detect the Romulan ship while it's in the ice belt."

Sulu stared out the viewport. "They're fish in a barrel."

The Romulan ship continued closer to the edge of the ice belt.

"They're charging weapons!" Kyle reported, "If we warn the _Enterprise,_ the Romulans will lock on our comm signal and blow us out of the sky."

Gaila looked up from her console. "Orders?"

Sulu stood still for a moment, then set his jaw and headed for the helm.

* * *

"All weapons ready, Commander."

Charvanek smiled. "Target their weapons and engines. I want them helpless."

Overhead on the _Memenda's_ speakers, the message from the _Enterprise _was still broadcasting. Suddenly, a burst of static heralded a new transmission. The female voice was replaced by a male, speaking quickly and authoritatively.

"Attention _Enterprise._ This is the _Sarah Spencer_. Raise your shields and go to red alert. Enemy vessel in the ice belt. Repeat. There are _Romulans _in the ice belt!"

"No!" Charvanek shouted, even as her officers reported that the _Enterprise _was raising shields and charging weapons.

"Lock on to that signal! Destroy the freighter!"

* * *

"The signal appears to have originated from the ice belt, Captain." Spock reported from the science station.

Kirk crossed over to him. "Can you isolate it?"

Spock nodded toward the forward viewport. "That appears unnecessary."

Ahead in the ice belt, a battered freighter leapt free of the vapor cloud, trailing ice crystals in its wake. Moments later, a Romulan bird-of-prey barreled out after it, disruptors blazing.

"Arm all weapons," Kirk commanded, and began relaying maneuvering orders to McKenna and Chekov.

* * *

The _Sarah Spencer_ shuddered under a direct hit. A panel burst in the wall and smoke boiled out of the damaged section.

"We did it!" Gaila shouted. Another blast rocked the freighter. "Now what?"

"Not sure!" Sulu shouted back, weaving the ship back and forth in maneuvers it wasn't designed for under normal circumstances, let alone in the state she was in. "I'm a little busy at the moment!"

* * *

"Commander! The Earth cruiser has dropped off our scopes." Praxus reported.

Charvanek scowled. "Where is it?"

"Unknown, Commander. It may have fled."

She took a moment to absorb that. Luck at last.

"Open a channel to the freighter."

* * *

"Port maneuvering thrusters are offline!"

Sulu struggled to get the helm under control. The ship was dragging to the left and it was all he could do to get her back onto a level course. Ahead of them, the ice belt drifted lazily in space, oblivious their frantic flight.

"Transmission from the Romulans." Kyle reported.

"On screen," Sulu grunted.

The image of a beautiful Romulan woman seated on a shadowed bridge overlapped the starfield. A slow smile played out on her face as she addressed him.

"Attention Earth vessel. Your ship is damaged, your cruiser has fled the field of battle, and you face destruction. Surrender your vessel to the Romulan Star Empire and you will be treated humanely."

Sulu slumped in his seat. It was over.

Rising, he crossed to the command chair, then turned back to the viewer.

"This is Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu, acting Captain of the _S.S. Sarah Spencer._ It seems I have little choice, Commander."

The Romulan's smile grew wider. "Excellent, Captain Sulu. Prepare to receive a boarding party."

The transmission cut out, and scant moments the hum of transporters filled the bridge. Ahead of the helm, four Romulans with drawn disruptors materialized. The lead officer doffed his helmet and inclined his head in a salute.

"Centurion Praxus."

"Charmed." Sulu said though a forced smile.

Behind the Romulans, Sulu caught a flicker of motion in the ice belt. A genuine smile broke out on his face as the Enterprise shot free of the cloud, phasers and torpedo launchers alight with fire.

* * *

The Earth ship's weapons slammed into Charvanek's unshielded vessel, knocking everyone aboard to the deck and tearing hull breaches all along the _Memenda's _beautiful hull.

Charvanek clung to the arm of her command chair, face contorted with anger as the damage reports came in. The same frightened sublieutenant from earlier was shouting somethine as his console blew up in his face and killed him instantly.

She staggered over to the scope and viewed the Earth vessel. Burned it into mind. There would be a reckoning.

"Escape course," she ordered, "Maximum warp."

* * *

"They are moving off, Keptin. Shall we pursue?"

"No, Mr. Chekov. Let 'em run for now." Kirk turned toward Uhura. "Hail the _Sarah Spencer._"

It was a few long moments before Sulu's beaming face filled the viewscreen. Behind him, Kirk could make out Lieutenant Kyle and Ensign Gaila holding four disruptors on four Romulans.

Kirk smiled, "Been busy haven't we..._Captain _Sulu_?"_

Sulu chuckled, "Yes sir...Sir? Mr. Scott's been injured. Request permission to beam him over for medical attention."

"Permission granted, Sulu. And we'll bring you and your new friends aboard too."


	7. Epilogue

_Captain's log, Stardate 2258.111. We've set a course to rendezvous with the _Huron _and the _Millenium Queen. _The Romulan officers captured by Lieutenant Sulu have proven very useful in analyzing the motives of the Romulans in this affair. It seems the Empire is determined to test the capabilities of the Federation in the border areas. Our success here may dissuade them for the foreseeable future, but I have no doubt their isolationism is at an end._

_Lieutenant Commander Scott is resting comfortably in Sickbay, where he has been confined by Dr. McCoy for the duration of his recovery, despite his requests to return to duty. Repairs to the _Sarah Spencer, _supervised by Ensigns Gaila and Keenser, are nearly complete, and I've given command of the freighter to Lieutenant Sulu for the duration of our trip to the new Vulcan colony on Veridian III._

Sulu ran his fingers along the armrests of the _Sarah Spencer's _command chair while Lieutenant Kyle brought her up alongside the _Enterprise. _Alongside the helm console, Gaila was typing onto a padd, and Sulu though he caught a glimpse of her running a flirtatious hand along the Kyle's shoulder for a moment. Turning to Sulu, she smiled and winked. "We're all set for warp, sir."

"Set course for Veridian III, warp 4." He leaned back in the command chair. "Punch it."

The _Enterprise _and the _Sarah Spencer _accelerated smoothly and hurtled into warp.

* * *

**A/N**

**This was my first attempt at fanfiction set in the Nu!Trek universe. I wanted to write a theoretical first mission for the new crew of the Enterprise. My plan is to continue with further adventures of the crew as they continue their five-year mission.**

**For the uber Star Trek geeks like me, there are some Easter Eggs in the story.**

**The **_**Sarah Spencer**_** is an Altair-class freighter lifted from the pages of the Decipher rpg supplement: Starhips**

**Fans might recognize Commander Charvanek as the leader of the Romulan squadron in the TOS episode "The Enterprise Inicident"**

**Charlene Masters, re-imagined here as a helmsman and tactical officer, was also part of the TOS crew, as was Lt. Kyle, transporter chief and relief helmsman during the series' run. Lt. DeSalle was the Assisstant Chief Engineer of the _Enterprise_, featuring most prominently in the episode "Catspaw."**

**Thanks for reading! Reviews are very welcome. **


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